Pay Like a Local in Argentina
Pay in pesos at 1M+ merchants via Mercado Pago QR — no DNI, no local account needed. Your dollars convert instantly. Better rate than your card (2–11%, based on today's rate).
Peanut gives foreigners access to Mercado Pago — Argentina's dominant QR payment network — without needing a local ID. Verify with your passport in under 2 minutes, top up from anywhere in the world, and pay at over a million merchants the same way locals do. No DNI, no local bank account, no CVU required. Your dollars convert to pesos at the cripto dólar rate when you pay — 2–11% better than your card depending on its FX fees, based on today's rate. Peanut charges no fees.
Whether you're a tourist exploring Buenos Aires, a digital nomad working remotely from Mendoza, or sending money to family in Córdoba, Peanut removes the ID barrier that locks foreigners out of local payment systems. No DNI required — verify with your passport in under 2 minutes, and start paying the way Argentines pay.
How It Works
- 1
Deposit from anywhere
Fund your account from any bank or exchange. SEPA transfers from Europe arrive in under 20 minutes. ACH from the US takes 1-3 business days. Or send digital dollars from any exchange or wallet — gas fees covered. All deposits are free.
- 2
Your balance stays in dollars
Your money is held in digital dollars until you spend it. No fluctuation between deposit and payment — you choose when to convert.
- 3
Pay locally in Argentina
Scan any Mercado Pago QR code at restaurants, supermarkets, cafes, kiosks, or shops. Your digital dollars convert to pesos at the cripto dólar rate — 2–11% better than cards depending on their FX fees (based on today's rate). Or withdraw pesos from any Red ATM using cardless QR withdrawal.
- 4
Instant settlement
The merchant receives pesos immediately in their Mercado Pago account. They see a normal Mercado Pago payment — Peanut is invisible on their end.
Where You Can Pay
Mercado Pago QR
Mercado Pago is Argentina's dominant QR payment network, accepted at over 1,000,000 merchants nationwide. Supermarkets like Carrefour, Dia, Coto, and Jumbo. Restaurants and cafes. Street food vendors and kiosks. Clothing stores, electronics shops, and pharmacies. If you see a Mercado Pago QR code — printed sticker or on-screen display — Peanut works there.
How it works: Open the app, tap "Pay," and scan the merchant's QR code with your camera. You'll see the merchant name, the amount in pesos, and the exchange rate. Confirm, and the merchant gets pesos instantly.
No DNI needed. Traditional Mercado Pago accounts require an Argentine DNI, which foreigners cannot get without residency. Peanut bypasses that — verify with your passport in under 2 minutes, and you're paying into the Mercado Pago network without needing a local account.
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Full guide: Pay with Mercado Pago
Cash ATM Withdrawal
Withdraw pesos from any Red ATM using cardless QR withdrawal. Available 24/7 across major Argentine cities: Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Bariloche, Salta, and Ushuaia. Find Red ATM locations at red-atm.com.ar.
How it works: Open the app, tap "Withdraw," select "ATM withdrawal." Enter the peso amount — the app shows the exact exchange rate and dollar charge. Confirm and generate a one-time QR code. Go to a Red ATM, select "Retiro sin tarjeta" (cardless withdrawal) or the QR icon, scan your QR code within the 60-second timer, and collect your pesos.
Fees: Peanut charges nothing for ATM withdrawals. The ATM operator may charge a small network fee — this is set by the ATM, not by Peanut, and is displayed on the ATM screen before you confirm.
Tips: Withdraw during banking hours (10am-3pm) when ATMs are freshly loaded. If the QR timer expires, simply generate a new one and scan again.
Exchange Rate
Argentina has multiple exchange rates. The official rate is set by the government. The MEP rate (Mercado Electrónico de Pagos) is what foreign credit cards, Wise, and most international services use to convert USD to ARS. The cripto dólar is the direct digital-dollar-to-ARS market rate — no USD intermediary, no regulated conversion step.
When you pay with a credit card in Argentina, your money converts through two steps: digital dollars become USD at the card network's rate, then USD becomes ARS at the MEP rate. Both steps extract value. Peanut converts directly to ARS in one step at the cripto dólar rate. Combined with typical card FX fees, that's 2–11% more pesos per dollar than a standard card (based on today's rate — rates fluctuate with market conditions). Peanut charges no fees.
Rate lock: The rate you see on the confirmation screen is the rate you pay. It locks at the moment of payment — no slippage, no post-transaction adjustments. What you see is what you get.
What it costs in practice:
| Expense | Card cost (2–11% over) | Peanut | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50 dinner | ~$51–$56 | ~$50 | ~$1–$6 |
| $500 tourist week | ~$510–$555 | $500 | ~$10–$55 |
| $2,000/month nomad | ~$2,040–$2,220 | $2,000 | ~$40–$220/mo |
Compare Peanut's rate to other services:
Who Uses Peanut in Argentina
Tourists
You arrive in Buenos Aires. Restaurants, cafes, and shops display Mercado Pago QR codes everywhere — but your card can't scan them, ATMs charge $5-10 per withdrawal at a poor rate, and street exchanges come with counterfeit risk.
Peanut solves this on day one. Verify with your passport, deposit from your bank or exchange, and start scanning QR codes. No DNI, no local bank account, no CVU required. You pay like a local from the moment you land — and you get a better rate than your card (2–11% depending on its FX fees, based on today's rate).
Digital Nomads
You're living in Argentina for months, working remotely, paying rent and daily expenses in pesos. You can't open a bank account without a DNI, which requires residency. Wire transfers from your home bank take days and still give you the MEP rate.
Peanut gives you local payment access without the paperwork. Scan Mercado Pago QR codes at over a million merchants. Withdraw cash when you need it. Pay your landlord, settle up with friends, split dinner — all without needing a local account. The rate advantage (2–11% better than cards, based on today's rate) is a welcome bonus on top.
Remittances
Sending money to family or friends in Argentina? Traditional services require both parties to have accounts, take 1-3 days, and charge $25-80 in fees. PayPal charges 3-4% and requires both parties to have accounts.
With Peanut, you send digital dollars from anywhere. The recipient gets a Peanut Link, claims the funds, and withdraws instantly to their Mercado Pago, their bank, or cash at an ATM. No app required on their end. They receive pesos at the cripto dólar rate — 2–11% better than a card (based on today's rate).
Remote Workers Paying Contractors
Paying contractors in Argentina through wires takes days and costs $30-50 per transaction. PayPal charges 4-5% and the recipient loses more on withdrawal. Wise is faster but still uses the MEP rate.
Peanut settles instantly. Send dollars — the contractor receives pesos in their Mercado Pago or bank at the cripto dólar rate, with no app needed on their end. The rate advantage (2–11% better than cards, based on today's rate) means they get more value from the same payment. Contractors can also hold their balance in digital dollars and convert when ready.
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Getting Started
Verification
Peanut uses passport or national ID verification — no DNI required. The process takes under 2 minutes for most users. Upload a photo of your ID and take a quick selfie. Approval is usually instant.
Your identity documents are handled by a certified third-party verification provider. Peanut never sees or stores your documents — they only receive a yes/no verification result. Your privacy stays intact.
Spending limit: $2,000/month combined (deposits, withdrawals, and payments) for users in Latin America. Can be increased with additional documentation. No hard limit for users in the US and EU.
Deposit Options
From Europe (41 SEPA countries): Free SEPA transfer in EUR. 90% arrive in under 20 minutes. The fastest way to fund your account from Europe.
From the US: Free ACH transfer (1-3 business days) or wire transfer (same-day; your bank may charge $25-80). For speed, deposit digital dollars from an exchange instead — arrives in minutes.
From anywhere: Send digital dollars from any exchange or wallet. Supported networks include Solana, Arbitrum, Base, Tron, Polygon, Avalanche, and Ethereum. Gas fees covered by Peanut. No minimum deposit.
FAQ
Pay like a local in other countries
